Döner Kebab Berlin Style

30 May 2015
by Martin Stolz

Some years ago I left Berlin missing the Döner the most. After changing my eating habits I refrained from eating this meat heavy dish. Since I still missed the taste of savory, salty plus fresh salad with Turkish bread and garlic sauce I decided it is more than time to veganise the Döner also known as Vöner. Interested why a Turkish meal made it into the Berlin history? Read more on wikipedia about it.

Ingredients

Serves 4

The Turkish bread

Thick flatbread, usually round shape from Turkish stores

The savory meaty part

Ready saitan or self made saitan

2 cups vital wheat gluten

1 cup water

1 tbsp soya sauce

1 pinch salt and pepper

Turkish herbs (Lamb Doner Herbs)

The salad

1 Tomato

1/4 Cucumber

1/2 Onion

1/8 Lettuce

1/8 Red and/or white cabbage

The sauce

Oat cream or similar

Parsley

Garlic

Mint (optional)

Salt and pepper

Preparation

Saitan

If you choose to make your own saitan then this is a good time to start since it takes some time to make it. It is absolutely fine to use ready saitan like the one from Biona. Then you just need to mix the saitan pieces with the Doner herbs and fry them until firm to crispy but not too dry.
If you do your own saitan then mix the vital wheat gluten with some salt, pepper, soya sauce, Doner herbs and water. Bring a big pot with water to a boil. Roll the dough to a sausage and cover in parchment foil and that rolled into aluminium foil so you end up with a sausage like form. The foil might change its colour during the simmering.

Salad

Slice the veggies how you like them or follow the style seen in the following photo.

Sauce

“Which sauce? Garlic sauce please.” We leave the dairy to the calfs where it belongs to and choose oat cream which has the same consistency. I have to admit the sauce on its own will not taste exactly like the yoghurt version you would get from the Turks but when added to the other ingredients you will be pleased.
So crush your garlic, mince it or whatever you like and mix it into as much oat cream you like. Chop parsley and mint, whereas mint is not involved all the time. Add the greens to the sauce and season with salt and pepper.

Self-made saitan

Remember the saitan simmering in the pot? After 30 minutes it is time to take it out unroll it and let it cool so you can touch and cut it into Döner like slices. Now heat up a pan and use a bit of your preferred oil. Fry the pieces until they are firm to crispy.

Bread

Cut the bread into quarters so you can cut pockets into them. Put the bread into the oven or on top of a toaster and let is crispen a bit. If you open the pocket and the bread breaks you toasted too much!

Arranging

Open the pocket we cut into the bread before, coat the bread inside with as much garlic sauce as you like, add the salad and the saitan. Do not fill the bread too much otherwise the goodness will not fit into your mouth. Let the mess begin.